Chapter 25: Headlines and Whispers
Jay's POV:
The moment I stepped out of the limo, flashes hit me like a storm. Paparazzi cameras clicked incessantly, reporters' voices overlapping into a chaotic, buzzing wave.
"Jay Watson! Are you pregnant yet?"
"Keifer Watson, how does it feel to be married for a month with no baby?"
"Scandal alert! Did someone cheat?"
I froze for a heartbeat, gripping the strap of my bag tightly, feeling the weight of the cameras and the rumors pressing down on me. Every step toward the red carpet felt like walking through fire.
Keifer's hand found mine, grounding me. "Don't look. Don't react," he whispered, voice calm but firm, a tether holding me steady.
I swallowed hard, glancing at him. The media's glare reflected in his dark sunglasses, but his jaw was tight, expression unreadable. One month. Just one month of marriage, and already the world had decided we were on the verge of catastrophe.
"Have you two… separated? Did someone cheat?" a reporter shouted, barely coherent over the flashes.
I felt heat rise to my cheeks. How could they think that? How could they twist our private lives into gossip?
Keifer pulled me slightly closer. "Tomorrow," he murmured against my ear, "we clear everything. Publicly. No more whispers, no more games."
I nodded, trying to draw courage from his steady presence. Somehow, the chaos felt smaller with him beside me.
Keifer's POV:
The media frenzy was worse than I expected. My wife—no, my Jay—was being dragged through baseless rumors after barely a month of marriage. And me? The world was already questioning my loyalty, my character.
I gritted my teeth, scanning the crowd. "They're wrong," I muttered under my breath. "Completely wrong. And tomorrow, we'll show them the truth."
Jay squeezed my hand, her eyes flicking nervously to the flashes. I knew she felt small, cornered. But that look—vulnerability wrapped in strength—made my heart twist. She didn't deserve this. She never did.
"Stay close," I said quietly. "Tonight, we ignore them. Tomorrow, we show them. Together."
She nodded, leaning into me slightly. "Together," she echoed.
Author's POV:
Back at the mansion, dinner was quiet. Kaiz played at his tiny table, oblivious to the storm of media and gossip outside the walls. His laughter, bright and innocent, was a stark contrast to the tension hanging over the adults.
Jay and Keifer sat opposite each other, both exhausted from the relentless questions and photos. They barely spoke, exchanging small gestures of reassurance—a hand over hers, a quick brush of the lips.
Finally, Jay broke the silence. "I can't believe the world is already questioning us," she murmured.
Keifer tilted his head, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Let them talk," he said. "They don't know us. They never will."
Jay's lips curved in a small, reluctant smile. "I know. But… it hurts anyway."
"I know," he said, voice low and certain. "That's why tomorrow, we fix it. Together. And after that… we can finally breathe."
The next morning arrived with headlines screaming across every screen.
"Watson Marriage in Trouble?"
"Jay Watson and Keifer Watson: No Baby, No Secrets?"
"Cheating Allegations Rock the CEO Couple!"
Jay scrolled through the articles on her phone, her fingers trembling slightly. "They don't even know us," she whispered.
"They never will," Keifer said firmly, taking the phone from her hand and tossing it aside. "But tomorrow… tomorrow, they'll know the truth. Our truth. And nothing else matters."
He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, letting the warmth of his lips chase away the chill of fear and doubt. "You're mine. Only mine. Kaiz is ours. And this family… we decide the story, not them."
Her heart swelled at his words, the love, protection, and determination in them. For the first time in days, she felt a spark of hope—not for the media, not for the world, but for them.
"Tomorrow," she whispered, pressing her forehead to his chest. "Tomorrow, we take it back."
Keifer tightened his arms around her. "Tomorrow," he echoed, voice low, steady, and full of promise. "And after that… nothing can touch us."
End of Chapter 25